Blood And Water
by Molly Jae
Summary: The Soul Stone was smart enough to create a test that let it know if a being was worthy of its power, but what if the sacrifice had been found lacking? Darcy Lewis had no idea how she went from a quiet evening in her apartment to preventing the annihilation of half the universe. She was just glad she had decided to wear underwear. Now what was this about her having powers?
1. A Sacrifice

**Author's Notes:** So I have this posted on AO3 under the same name and title (because I really prefer their interface more, especially since this is going to be more than just about romance and stuff), but I figured I might as well post it here too.

This is probably going to be a long one, and will definitely be a slow burn for the ship.

Hope you enjoy!

 **DISCLAIMER: I don't own the MCU. I just like playing around in it.**

* * *

Chapter One - A Sacrifice

* * *

 _"Thanos."_

The fighting seized abruptly. The disembodied voice spoke to Thanos in an even tone. It wasn't as soft as a whisper, nor was it as loud as a normal speaking voice. It was both clear and garbled at the same time, and there was no one that could pinpoint the gender of the speaker.

 _"You think to trick me."_

Thor, who had been in the middle of gloating about Stormbreaker's power, was the first to notice the figure moving towards them. He would know that person anywhere. Why were they here? How had they gotten here? Along with he realization of who they were, the Avengers realized they couldn't move — no one could.

Not even Thanos.

 _"I know your soul."_

As the figure drew closer, Thor fought harder to move.

Bright blue eyes, long dark hair, pail skin, and dark rimmed glasses. In a large sweater and boy shorts, it was clear that her appearance was unplanned. She looked every bit as confused as everyone felt.

They all watched as she processed the situation. Vision was dead. The Avengers were in various states of injury and fight. Thor had a bad cosplay of Grimace literally axed.

 _"I have seen your secrets."_

Thanos looked at the mortal that had joined them. Who was she that she was unaffected by the soul stone? She looked no different than the others, though perhaps ill-clothed. She was no warrior.

Everyone watched as she and Thanos stared at each other. Thor wanted to warn her away, but couldn't.

 _"You are unworthy."_

His fingers, already mid-snap, were forced into a fist as the gauntlet's temperature rose abruptly.

 _"A sacrifice is asked."_

"A sacrifice was given," the titan groaned.

The Soul Stone was no longer in Thanos' possession.

 _"A sacrifice is asked."_

Thanos regarded the newcomer once more. The Soul Stone hovered in front of her, before speeding towards her and lodging itself in her chest. She stumbled, but quickly regained her balance.

"What was that?" Her hands came up to inspect her chest, but there was no wound where the stone entered her.

"Who are you?" With a flex of Thanos' hand, Stormbreaker was out of his chest and he was standing in front of the woman. Another move and he had her by her throat.

She struggled at the harsh and abrupt grip, but found that she didn't need to take in air to stabilize herself. Instead she felt as if she were floating, and the monster's handling of her was but a mild inconvenience.

When their eyes met, Thanos saw his defeat.

In the blink of an eye, Thanos was gone and Darcy Lewis was holding the Infinity Gauntlet.


	2. Vague Explanations

_There were soft murmurs around her, as if she were surrounded by a crowd trying not to disturb her. They sounded as if they spoke in different languages, but she couldn't zero in on any particular sound or conversation. It seemed as if the voices moved away when she tried to listen in to their conversations. But they also seemed both very near her ear and very far away. It was an overall confusing experience._

 _Her eyes opened slowly._

 _A gentle breeze was blowing as she looked around. The soft colors of the sunset reflected in the shallow waters she stood in, though no sun could be seen setting. In the distance, she could see a small house with a rust-colored roof._

 _She walked towards the house with small, careful steps, worried that the water went deeper than she was comfortable. That wasn't the problem she encountered though, as she found that the distance between the house and herself wasn't getting any shorter no matter how many steps she took towards it. She was still in her sweatshirt and boy shorts, though her eyeglasses were no where to be found._

 _Fingers pressed against a tender spot on her chest, she looked around once more for any other sign of land._

 _"Where am I?"_

"You are safe, Lady Darcy."

Darcy sat up abruptly, giving herself a head rush. There was no gasping for air or frantic hand motions. Instead, she squinted, her eyes attempting to adjust to the brighter room than where she had just been. Much to her relief, there were six people in the room with her, but she knew only two of them.

Normally, she would ask Jane for answers, but she figured what had happened was way over even Jane's level of expertise and comfort zone that she went for the next most likely to have answers for her.

"Hey, Big Guy, what's happened?" She frowned when Thor didn't immediately reply, slowly turning to Jane for an explanation. "Jane?"

"You've been unconscious for a week, Darcy." The small brunette explained, placing Darcy's glasses in her hand so that she could put it on herself. "What's the last thing you remember?"

"There was a purple dude — like Grimace, but not as soft, I think? No, actually, I think he looked like an angry stubbed toe, but hey maybe that's jus—"

"Darcy, _focus_."

She looked at Jane, who was looking decidedly more high definition now that she had her glasses on. The astrophysicist placed a hand in hers in a gesture of comfort.

"He…he was on the ground. Thor was…laughing…? At him, I think? I…I don't know how I got there. It was my day off, so I prepped myself for a Harry Potter Marathon in my apartment and I must have fallen asleep or something, but the next thing I knew I was standing in some forest…I thought it was a dream." Her brows furrowed. "Jane, where _am_ I?"

"We're in Wakanda, Darce'."

Wakanda? The same Wakanda that was apparently far more technologically advanced than the rest of the world? The Wakanda she had spent hours learning about because her need to be in-the-know had her wanting to know every little thing she could because _how the fuck did they keep that a secret for so long and why?_ A quick and better look around confirmed all that she had read about the place. It was definitely on a different caliber all together, maybe even more advanced than the tech at the Avengers Facility.

The room she was in was as big as (maybe even a bit bigger than) her apartment, though far more advanced in terms of technology. Everything was sleek, modern, and metal — _no, probably not metal_ , she found herself correcting as she remembered the big reveal that Wakanda did a few months back. While the materials that were around her probably weren't a hundred percent vibranium, she wouldn't be surprised if it were somehow diluted into it.

Wearing her glasses, she was finally able to put a name to the once-vaguely-familiar faces in the room aside from Jane and Thor.

Tony Stark stood beside the King of Wakanda, T'Challa. The latter offered a small polite smile which she returned with her own. Tony, on the other hand, studied her with unrestrained curiosity. They were by the door, as if they had just been about to leave when she had woken up.

Thor stood by the foot of her bed, looking far different from the god of thunder that she had last seen in London. She found herself studying him for a moment before she brought her gaze over to the pair to her left.

Standing by a lot of holo-screens and monitors were Bruce Banner and Princess Shuri. Like her brother, Princess Shuri and Doctor Banner offered her a small smile, though they quickly returned to pouring over the information they were getting from the screens before them.

When she looked back at Jane, it was to the realization that her friend looked far more tired than any research or experiment bender had made her.

"You remember anything else, Short Stack," was Tony's casual quip.

Darcy rolled her eyes, and replied without missing a beat, "Not that short, Daddy Warbucks." She pursed her lips. "I remember something floating. And then…" The memory of Thanos strangling her made her stop, her free hand coming to caress her throat. "What happened?"

And so they told her everything. They told her what the Infinity Stones were, and a vague explanation of what each stone could do. They told her how Thor's people had been wiped away by the mad titan so that he could get the Space Stone. They told her how a man called Doctor Strange, who had the Time Stone, had been captured by one of Thanos' children and how Ironman and Spider-Man had tried to keep the fight away from Earth. They told her how Thor had a met a group that called themselves the Guardians of the Galaxy, whom had ended up helping out both Tony and Thor. They told her how Thanos' other children had tried to capture Vision, but the other half of the Avengers (because really, who didn't know that they had broken up — especially since she and Jane were authorized to work in the Avengers Facility) had saved him and taken him to Wakanda. They told her of what preparation and battle each group had faced in the time leading up to their battle.

They told her Thanos had intended to wipe out half the population of the entire universe. Doctor Strange told her that in a reality wherein she hadn't interfered, _he would have succeeded_. They told her about Vision's and Wanda's sacrifice, and how Thanos had made fools out of all of them by reversing time and taking the Mind Stone. Peter Quill told her about Gamora, how she had tried to keep Thanos away from the Soul Stone. Nebula told her how Gamora had been manipulated to reveal its location. No one truly knew what had happened, but Mantis told her the crushing remorse Thanos had felt when his favorite daughter's name had been brought up.

They told her about her sudden arrival, of how they had all frozen in place. Thor and Wanda told her of the warmth they had felt at her arrival, as if she were a bright spring day come to life. Thor told her that it was the Soul Stone that had entered her body. Shuri told her that there were no physical traces of it in her system, according to the various x-rays and scans they had performed on her during her comatose state. Jane told her how she had been flown to Wakanda three days ago, when Tony had been informed via FRIDAY that ' _Doctor Foster is currently frantically searching for Miss Lewis, Boss. Shall I inform Doctor Foster that Miss Lewis is currently in Wakanda?_ '

They told her she'd killed Thanos. Some corrected that she had made him disappear, which didn't necessarily always equate to _dead._ Captain America told her that by the time Thanos had completely disappeared, she had been in possession of the Infinity Gauntlet. Thor told her that she had lost consciousness, but hadn't fallen to the floor after fainting. They told her how she had been wrapped in a protective current of _something_ (magic? electricity? With the people around her being who they were, it was probably both). Thor told her how when he had attempted to take the gauntlet from her, believing that it was what was causing the barrier, a massive energy burst, causing a brief universal blackout — the likes of which even the Guardians who had been with some of the Avengers on a different planet at the time had felt when their ship detected it.

They told her the Infinity Gauntlet was gone.

 _Just like Thanos_ , which didn't necessarily mean _dead._

By the time they had finished, everyone else had packed into the room. Word of her regaining consciousness had been quick to spread, and the once spacious room suddenly felt much smaller. Their faces and names blurred together along with their stories. _Information overload_ , she thought to herself.

If it weren't for the feel of Jane's hand in hers, grounding her, Darcy would have thought she were still dreaming. Or that they had truly drugged her up with the good stuff, because she definitely wouldn't have been able to come up with their story on her own.

"Hey guys, I think we're overwhelming Miss Lewis here." Bruce, bless his heart, had taken note of the increasing tension building in Darcy's shoulders and her increased heart rate (thanks to the monitors).

Darcy smiled sheepishly, "I think everyone here can call me Darcy." She turned to Thor. In a room full of superheroes, he was the only one she really trusted ( _while Jane, whom was badass in her own right, she was most definitely not a superhero and was held to a different much higher standard, thank you very much_ ). "I'm sure we all have questions, but I'm also sure we have time to figure it out." Briefly, her gaze flickered to Doctor Strange before returning to Thor. The thunder god was definitely half of the reason she felt calm about everything. She squeezed Jane's hand once more. _If Thor didn't seem too worried, then why should she?_

Shuri was quick to order everyone around, "Alright everyone out. The next guards scheduled can stay, but everyone else should go. Brother, bring Darcy, Dr. Foster, and Thor some food, will you?"

There were some laughs at watching the smaller and younger woman ordering one of the tallest men in the room.

"I am King and yet I am ordered around by my sister." T'Challa complained, though his grin and Shuri's eye roll told everyone that it was normal for the pair.

"There's a badass woman working behind the scenes for every great man." Darcy couldn't help but joke, earning a little more laughter. Nobody refuted her statement as they realized how right she was.

The group slowly trickled out soon after.

The room had no windows, or any indicator of what the outside world looked like. The only way Darcy could tell that it was already night time was due to the clock displayed in one of the monitors. It was ten in the evening, and the group had dispersed about three hours ago, leaving her in the care of Princess Shuri, Doctor Banner, and Thor (she had convinced Jane to get some sleep, and the woman had agreed only if Thor stayed to watch over Darcy), and under the watchful eyes of James Buchanan Barnes and Okoye.

Darcy wasn't even aware she was tired nor that she had fallen asleep until she was in the midst of waking up.

A quick glance at one of the screens told her it was two in the morning. There was no one else in the room with her, though she was sure that there were guards posted outside her door. Actually, if she closed her eyes and tried to listen, she could hear their breathing and even tell who they were. _Wait what?_ She sat up and looked at her hands. They had told her that she wasn't sick per se, but that no one knew what the side effect of having an Infinity Stone inside of her would be. Vision hadn't absorbed the stone, the fact that Thanos had been able to pluck it from his head was evidence of that. They were making sure she was safe. _They were making sure everyone else was safe from her._ She understood the precautions, but she hated being in such a helpless position.

The door opened to reveal Thor.

"Lady Darcy," he said, walking towards her in even strides.

She scooted to one side of the bed so that Thor could sit beside her.

"Are you alright?"

"I'm just glad I'm not Supergirl and the rock wasn't Kryptonite." She shrugged in feigned nonchalance, but her smile softened when Thor held one of her hands in both of his. The sight of his large hands cradling her small-by-comparison hands would have been comical if he didn't look so unlike the spirited thunder god she had known since New Mexico. "You know something, don't you?"

"I know of a possibility," countered the Asgardian. "But it is a selfish wish, my lady; one I can not ask of you."

"Not exactly a genie here, so I don't even know if I can grant wishes, Big Guy."

Thor said nothing, only offering her a sad smile. She looked from their joined hands to his face, and was surprised to find herself looking into a pair of green eyes that were far from Thor's blue hues. She blinked, as if to clear her vision, and instead found herself elsewhere.

 _The bodies of the people of a great nation that once called themselves the protector and rulers of the Nine Realms were littered around the spacious field. Gods and goddesses. She didn't know how she knew that they were Asgardian, but she was sure with every fiber of her being in her assessment. Her theory was solidified when she saw a man clad in familiar green and black armor of sorts. That definitely looked similar to the guy that tried to destroy New York. She'd seen the clips. Near him laid a dark-skinned man in gold. For a moment, she expected him to move._

 _Her lips, pale and chapped, curled into a frown. They all looked at peace, as if asleep, but Thor's recount of what had occurred told her better. These people were dead._

 _And so why was she dreaming of dead people?_

 _Dead people that she's never met before, she would remind herself._

 _"Darcy Lewis…"_

She woke up with a start.


	3. Disconnect

Darcy stood by the large window, looking outside. It was a beautiful sunny day, and she could just make out the forms of Captain America, Black Widow, and Wanda. They seemed to be having a heated discussion about something, and in the distance, Darcy could see Tony and Thor walking up to them followed closely by Peter ( _"I really go by Star-lord, but I guess Peter's fine since I'm on Earth again."_ ) Quill and Nebula. Honestly, Darcy thought it was cute how everyone was coming together. Of course there were people that butted heads (she was sure Peter Quill and Tony Stark could record all their interactions and sell it off as a Netflix series), but there were also those that got along remarkably well (Darcy will always marvel at how Black Widow and Bucky Barnes got along with Drax).

"Are you still a prisoner, Darcy?"

She turned to Drax and smiled, "I'm not a prisoner. They just don't want me to hurt anyone."

"You have not hurt anyone." He pointed out, coming to stand beside her. "Even Thanos," he said, eyes focused on her. "You just banished him. He did not suffer."

"You don't know that for sure," countered Darcy. "And that's what they want to be — they want to be sure I don't accidentally hurt anyone."

"They see you as a threat and cage you like a monster." Drax continued, unaware (or perhaps uncaring?) of the way Darcy's mood began to shift. She knew both from Peter Quill and her own limited interaction with the man that Drax was the type to speak his mind. He was like someone with Asperger's, she had thought.

Darcy did her best not to let his words get to her, offering a laugh, "Yeah, cause little old me can't be taken down by all the Heroes in this joint."

"We weren't able to kill Thanos, what chance do we have against you?" Drax said. "You are a powerful being, Darcy Lewis."

She saw his mouth open to say something else, but the door opened and caught both of their attention. Bucky and Shuri entered the room, with Bucky heading straight for Drax and engaging him in conversation.

Shuri looked to Darcy, concerned.

"You're flying, Darcy." She corrected herself, "Flying and _glowing_."

"What?" Jane's former intern looked down to find that she was indeed hovering a foot or so above the ground, and that she was encased in a dark red glow. "What's going on? Am I like Wanda now or something? I so don't want to be a Hero with a capital H. Shuri I thought I was fine, I didn't do anything — I wasn't going to do anything!"

"Darcy!" Jane called out as she entered the room.

"They don't have to hide," Darcy said, looking at Jane. "I know that Captain America, Thor, and Rocket are on one side of that doorway, while Okoye, Peter Quill, and Nebula are on the other. Ironman, Wanda, Doctor Strange, and Spider-Man are on the roof, outside, _just in case_ , right?" She frowned. "Wait, how do I know that?"

"Darcy," Shuri, who was standing closest to Darcy, tentatively reached out a hand to her. "We'll figure this out, okay? We're all here to help you and keep you safe."

"Safe from who? Thanos? I got rid of him, remember?" Briefly, the setting changed, and it was just Darcy and Thor in a barren rocky desert, but they were back in reality just as quickly as it transpired. "You want to keep everyone safe. You have to at least admit that. You don't know what can happen, and it wasn't until now that _something_ did." No one could refute her words. She was telling the truth.

Even Bruce, who was watching everything from the safety of his room thanks to the camera feed the Avengers were privy to, knew that while reasonable, Darcy had been effectively locked in for no reason other than caution.

"You want to keep me in a box," Darcy spat, eyes a startling violet. "Your thirst for knowledge would demand you keep chained and sealed, to be prodded and let out only at your convenience."

There was no mistaking the guilt that settled in people's stomachs. Bucky and Natasha especially, who had both been subject to physical torture, were unhappy with Darcy's change in perspective.

"Lady Darcy," Thor stepped out of cover. He placed Stormbreaker down and walked towards her with even steps. He stopped when she moved away from him, nearly touching the glass wall that separated them from the outside.

"I won't," said Shuri, regaining Darcy's attention. "I won't experiment on you. I won't let anyone else touch you. You'll have full control of what can and will be done to you, but harm anyone — including yourself — and there will be consequences, Darcy."

Bucky stood beside Shuri and nodded, "We're on your side here, doll."

Jane, who had been walking slowly towards her friend, saw Darcy's eyes flicker back to the baby blues that she knew. Without a thought, she lunged at Darcy, much to everyone's surprise and stress.

Darcy caught her with ease, having already been in the midst of landing. They stumbled a bit but were able to quickly steady themselves. She blinked rapidly, her head pounding.

"Hey guys, what happened? Did I sleepwalk or something? I remember falling asleep on the couch," she massaged her temple with one hand and made an offhanded gesture with the other.

For the first time in a long time, the entire country of Wakanda experienced a storm with thick dark clouds and roaring thunder. No one had to wonder what was going on as Thor's eyes bled to a pure white and the sizzle of electricity sounded as sparks generated from his skin. He took Darcy's arm and without a word, the pair disappeared.

"What the fuck?"

* * *

"Thor, not that I don't usually love a road trip, but where are we?" Darcy looked around at the vast grassland. In the distance, she could see the sky meet the water, as well as the dark clouds beginning to gather.

"It seems that I've come to find this place…"

"Comforting," offered Darcy, "Cathartic? I can feel your… _emotions_ , I think."

"We can be frank with each other here, Lady Darcy." Thor, who had lost the electricity crackling all over his body and looked much like he normally would, came to stand right in front of her. A cold wind blew, though save for her body hair standing on edge, Darcy barely felt it. Behind Thor, she could see lightning strike in the distance, and given their height difference, Darcy had to look up to properly meet his gaze.

"Thor…?"

"You know more than you say."

"What?" Darcy's brows furrowed. "What are you talking about?"

"There is a part of you that does not feel at peace with the other." He raised a hand, tracing the side of Darcy's face with the tips of his fingers, though not quite letting their skin touch fully.

"Well, yeah, I used to be a pretty fat kid, so I guess I'm still a little insecure about that," quipped Darcy, taking a step back to put some distance between them. She'd never felt afraid of Thor before, but then again, there was definitely always a first time for everything.

"You say that nothing of the ordinary has occurred since your absorption of the Soul Stone, and yet earlier you showed me the very place where I had once seen my brother die."

A portal opened behind Thor, and Doctor Strange stepped out.

"I thought we had agreed to approach her carefully." The doctor said, moving to stand beside Thor.

"We agreed that I would talk to her." Thor said, still looking at her.

"That was when we believed she was harmless."

"Hey, _she_ is right here." Darcy said with a wave of her hand. "Now, do any of you want to tell me what you're talking about?"

Strange looked at her as if to study her. "Miss Lewis, what do you remember before Thor brought you here?"

"I fell asleep on the couch in the lounge area thing," Darcy pressed her lips together. She suddenly felt anxious as she looked between her two companions, "Didn't I?"

"From what Princess Shuri told us, you reacted negatively when it was implied you would be kept against your will." There was no judgement in Strange's tone, but Darcy had the feeling that there was more to it than that.

"And what're you supposed to talk to me about, Big Guy?" Her voice was soft, as if she were the one who had bad news to break.

Thor offered his left hand out to her, palm up. Confused, but taking in the fact that Thor didn't have Stormbreaker and that he had lifted his non-dominant hand, Darcy raised her own left hand and placed it on his. Before she could properly lay her hand over his though, when her fingertips were just brushing his palm, he began to generate electricity once more.

Just as she withdrew her hand, a glove began to appear, covering her hand.

 _No, not a glove,_ Darcy lifted her hand to her face.

A gauntlet.

"It wasn't just the Soul Stone you absorbed, Miss Lewis."

 _A flash of blinding light and she was standing in shallow waters once more. This time, however, she wasn't alone._

 _"Why are you here?" The little girl, with her green-skin and dark hair, looked up at her with big doe eyes. They stood about three feet apart, facing each other, with the child's head reaching up to about Darcy's hips._

 _"Where_ is _here? Where am I? Where are we?"_

 _The girl stepped towards her and took one of her hands in her smaller ones, "Are you lost?"_

 _"I don't know…" Darcy bent down when the little girl tugged at her hand. They were at about eye-level as she asked, "Who are you?"_

 _The little girl placed a hand on Darcy's face, cupping her cheek._

Darcy stood in front of Thor, eyes wide.

"What's going on, Big Guy?"

"I do not know how to aid you, my Lightning Sister, but—"

"But perhaps I might," Strange said. "Miss Lewis, it seems that you've not only absorbed the Infinity Gauntlet and all the stones embedded in it, but that, like the gauntlet, you've become a conduit of sorts for them and their abilities."

That was easy enough to understand, Darcy supposed; but not really.

"Why me?" She closed her left hand into a fist, and found that the gauntlet had disappeared just as she was closing it.

Thor placed a hand on her head, which made her feel every bit the little sister he treated her as. He slid his hand from her head to her shoulders, pulling her into his arms. She didn't even have to think about it as she returned his hug. Really, Thor's hugs could fix nearly everything.

"No matter the reason," Thor said, "You will never face your troubles alone."

They stayed in the area for another hour, Strange taking the time to talk Darcy through what would be her new regimen so that they could better work through and understand her newly acquired _jewelry_.


	4. Change of Pace

**Chapter Four - Change of Pace**

Darcy tackled Jane into a hug as she stepped out of the portal. The smaller woman squealed, throwing her arms around her friend. They had all been briefly assured by Doctor Strange that he knew where Thor had taken Darcy and that they would bring her back shortly. So they had gone their separate ways and waited for the trio's return.

"Darcy!"

"Jane-y! I'm hungry. Let's go to the kitchen, I feel like having a BLT," Darcy pulled Jane to the direction of the common area without waiting for the scientist's reply. Darcy had been given access to a common area of sorts that was connected to her room via elevator that was programmed to go only to that floor. They had been thorough in limiting Darcy's interaction with those outside of their circle, that much she was sure of. And after what had happened earlier that day, she was actually grateful for it.

Strange and Thor followed the pair, though the former lagged a bit behind while the latter enjoyed being in the company of the two most important women to him.

"Hello, Snow White, we are setting you free!" Tony Stark's smile was not as comforting as he perhaps wanted it to be. Mostly, he had just succeeded in confusing Darcy, who looked from him, then to the other occupants in the room.

The two Peters stood with Mantis to Stark's left, sharing an entire caramel cake of sorts between themselves. To Stark's right, Captain America, Barnes, and Wanda were huddled together, seemingly in conversation that stopped upon their arrival. Strange had given them an update of how she didn't remember her brief power stunt, and they had all made a quick decision about it.

"Setting me free how, exactly?" Darcy's eyes narrowed, though her attention was divided as she felt her stomach rumble. "We talking about making my room bigger and letting me out to different floors free or letting me walk out of Wakanda free?"

"Little bit of both," shrugged Stark. "We're giving you a choice. You can stay in Wakanda and we'll give you more freedom. Scheduled tours outside, an area you can be free to test your abilities in; the works, basically."

"Or you can come back to the Avengers Compound," said Jane from her side. "You'll be moved to an apartment there, and since it's all monitored by FRIDAY, you'd essentially have the freedom to go wherever within the land."

"So basically I get to choose my cage." Darcy pointed out.

"The offer has no expiration date," Shuri said as she entered the space. "You can stay here for now, and then return to New York if you want — just give us time to prepare."

"Or you can head back to New York," Darcy was surprised as Stark continued, "Have a chance at normal."

It had been about two weeks since she'd woken up, so she'd been in Wakanda for three weeks total. She had been feeling homesick ever since her first day, but had said nothing to anyone because she knew there wasn't really anything that could be done about it, especially with the tenuous relationship between everyone. Yes, some of them got along pretty well, but Darcy wasn't blind to note that there was an underlying tension between not just the Avengers and the Guardians, but within the Avengers themselves.

The matter of the Sokovia Accords hadn't been mentioned in her presence, but she was sure that it was looming over everyone's heads. There was a tenuous friendship and civility among the Avengers factions, with mainly Rhodes playing nice with those from the Captain's side.

Truth be told, Darcy had been happy to keep out of all the politically-damning moves that the Avengers had partaken in. She hadn't been looking to change anything in her life. She was satisfied to be a lab administrator for the laboratory at the Avengers Facility, and was more than grateful that Pepper Potts herself had offered her a spot on Stark Industries' PR team, and then later on, their legal team. The position was more than she could have hoped for, even after having juggled law school and Jane, and gave her the freedom to go back and forth between Stark Tower and the Avengers Facility. However, now that she was, in essence, not _entirely_ human, she knew that leaving the safety of Wakanda would put her under scrutiny from the UN Panel — if they found out.

She already knew she wanted to go back to New York, if only so she could better keep focus on the projects she had going on, but she would only agree if she weren't a risk to the people around her.

"Can I think about it?" Darcy's hunger made itself known as her stomach growled. She laughed sheepishly, but went on to drag Jane to the kitchen, "Now who wants some food?"

"We can just have food made you know," Shuri pointed out as she took a seat on one of the counter stools.

"Yeah but I actually like cooking and I think I'm pretty good at it—"

"She is!" (Jane)

"The Lady Darcy is a great cook, and we shall all be blessed to have her meals if she wished."

"Thor you really know how to sweet talk a girl. Just for that I'll make you your favorite lava cake when I can."

Stark perked up at that. "Wait, were you the one that made Pep that cake she got for her birthday? The one that was wrapped in an Ironman themed box?"

"Didn't know you'd know about that."

"That was delicious!"

"Well yeah, Pep said she liked black forrest cakes so I made her one for her birthday." She shrugged, turning her attention to gathering ingredients.

"That was delicious! I ate most of it to be honest. Pepper got mad as hell."

"Wait, was that why Pepper twitched when I asked her if she liked it?" Darcy turned to Stark, took one of the towels in the kitchen and used it to whip him. "I thought she was lying when she said she loved it because of that eye twitch, you ass."

"Hey now you're going to have to cook for all of us."

"I never agreed to that!"

"Tony, I'm sure Miss Lewis wouldn't want to be treated like a cook." Captain ( _"I just go by Steve Rogers now, Ma'am"_ ) America walked up to the counter, an exhausted smile on his face.

"Well I wouldn't mind being _your_ cook, Cap'n." Darcy winked, relishing when she saw how startled he seemed to be by her comment. She turned to the people that had quickly become her audience, a mix of those that had been her doctors and her guardians. "If you guys want we can have dinner in like," she turned to Shuri for confirmation, "Two or three days and I'll cook for everyone."

Stark was quick to agree, "Shuri, Princess, Your Highness, make that happen."

"Tony!" (Captain America)

"Stark!" (Jane)

"Already done." (Shuri)

* * *

Darcy stood by one of the windows in her new room, watching the sunset. Shuri had been quick to offer her a new room, provided she still had a guard, and now one of those beaded bracelets that the Wakandans had that was tailored specifically for her to be able to consistently monitor her.

"Knock knock," Peter Quill entered the room and waved when he saw her turn to him. "We're switching with Bucky and Widow."

"Her name's Natasha," Darcy grinned, walking towards Peter and his companion, Sam ( _"I'm also known as The Falcon, but you can call me Sam"_ ) Wilson.

"Yeah, but she hasn't told me to call her that yet, and I really think staying on the good side of a beautiful and dangerous woman is a great idea." Peter replied, earning a laugh from Darcy and a nod from Sam.

"Fair point. So what do you want to learn now, Q?" Darcy grabbed the tablet she'd been provided to keep herself entertained. She had Quill playing catch up with earth pop culture. She was sure she could leave the whole technological advancement catchup to Stark or Shuri, but really when it came to pop culture, who better to learn from than her or Sam?

Sam grinned, "I think it's time we taught Peter here the art of memes, Darce'."

And so they did.

Jane, who had been talking to Shuri and other Wakandan researchers about her studies on Einstein-Rosen Bridges and setting up a lab or at least equipment for them in Wakanda, found the trio surrounded by projected monitors that depicted — _were those spongebob memes?_

"Hey, Darce, have you eaten dinner?" The scientist asked, trying hard not to cringe at the images. She never really saw the humor in memes, or rather, she understood it, but wasn't that into them.

"Nope, was waiting for you," Darcy looked at Jane, who had two people carrying trays of food with her. They laid the food on the table, and Darcy nudged Sam and Peter, "You should eat with us too."

"We ate before our shift," reasoned Sam like a good soldier.

"Doesn't mean we can't eat now," countered Quill, already taking a seat by the food. "So, Doc Foster, how are the stars?"

That was another friendship that was both surprising and not. Jane had always been a little bit in love with the stars (and the capabilities of inter-galactic travel, but really, saying in love with the stars was far more romantic than science), and so to be able to speak to someone who was both human and yet had experiences far outside that of the norm, well it was definitely a goldmine she wanted to take advantage of.

Darcy thought it was kind of cute how Jane gravitated towards Quill with all her questions, while Stark, Shuri, and Bruce hovered in the background, listening and learning. Of course, once Quill had realized that he really didn't have all the tech-related answers they wanted, he was quick to pass them off to Rocket, who was only ever willing to explain to Shuri and Jane. The raccoon definitely had a soft spot for smart women, Darcy had laughed upon the realization.

"So I heard you weren't sure about heading back to New York," Sam began conversationally. He spoke in a tone softer than his normal voice, so that he wouldn't be easily heard by the other occupants in the room, and Darcy was reminded that Sam was like everyone's shrink-on-call.

"I'll go if you go," Darcy joked, and Sam immediately understood that she didn't want to talk about it (yet).

"You know you only have to say the word and I'd follow you anywhere, sweetheart." Sam's reply had Darcy laughing.

Later, when Quill and Sam had taken their post outside and Jane had left to return to her own room with Thor, Darcy sat alone on the bed. They had been leaving her alone more and more, though she didn't object to the guards they currently had on rotation for her — Quill, Sam, Barnes, Okoye, Natasha ( _"Natasha. I hear you got Bruce to wear more casual clothes."_ ), Thor, Nebula, Groot, and Rocket. Among them, she found herself quickly befriending Quill, Sam, and Rocket, forming a tentative fangirl-friendship-colleague relationship with Natasha and Nebula, and then trying very hard to understand Groot.

Usually, when she found herself unable to sleep, she'd make herself some hot chocolate and set herself up for a night of studying, working, or watching whatever interesting thing she found online. If that didn't work, she would change and go out to the 24 hour diner near her apartment. This time, however, she didn't have the attention span for the former nor the luxury for the latter. She threw on a robe over her pajamas, as she headed out.

As she opened the door, _Darcy was greeted by the sight of a cliff that was definitely not the outside of her room._

 _She could hear talking in the distance, and when she turned around to where her door was supposed to be, she found nothing. Darcy closed her eyes, remembering Strange's words earlier that day (_ "If you find yourself in a place you don't know, close your eyes and make sure your senses are working. Thor theorizes that you feel the effects of the stone, and if that's true, then we want to make sure you are controlling it and not the other way around." _)._

 _"You're back."_

 _Her eyes opened. It was the same little girl from before. Green skin and dark hair._

 _The girl turned around and walked away, leaving Darcy to follow._

 _"How long was I gone?" She asked._

 _"They said you'd be back."_

 _"Who?"_

 _"I don't think they like that you leave so often."_

 _"Leave? Where even am I? Hey, little girl!" Darcy lunged and reached for the girl's arm, but found herself falling face first into the water that surrounded them._

 _She fell._

 _And kept on falling._

 _And fell some more._

 _And then she looked to her side and someone was falling with her._

Her head was pounding. Darcy looked up into Natasha's eyes.

"Is everything okay?" The spy asked.

"I think…yeah. I just wanted to go for a walk," Darcy turned to the other guard on duty, Nebula. "Sorry to worry you."

"Do you want to go outside?" Nebula asked.

"Is that possible?" Darcy frowned. "I thought I was restricted to staying within the building."

"I think we can handle going out for a little moonlight stroll." Natasha's smirk was a confidence boost Darcy didn't know she needed.

When they were outside, Darcy couldn't help but run out on to the grass. She took off her shoes and let her feet feel the blades of grass against her skin. Darcy grinned and plopped her ass down.

"You remind me of her." Nebula said as she came to squat beside Darcy.

"Who?" The brunette asked with a tilt of her head.

"Gamora," said the blue woman. "My sister." _The woman that had been sacrificed in exchange for the Soul Stone_.

Darcy smiled, and placed a hand on Nebula's arm, "Tell me about her."

And so Darcy spend the night with Natasha and Nebula, two intelligent and powerful women who could probably kill her with their pinky finger, learning about the woman Nebula had grown up with (and Quill had been in love with).


	5. Slowing Down

**Chapter Five - Slowing Down**

* * *

Darcy had fallen asleep listening to Natasha tell the story of the Avengers attempting to lift Mjølnir. She, Nebula, and Natasha had all lied down, watching the clear night sky as they traded stories — though really, Darcy listened more than she shared. Between the two Warrior Maidens (as Thor would call them), there was no shortage of somewhat outrageous but most likely true stories.

She learned about how Thanos didn't really have any biological children, only ever taking in children that caught his attention from the countries that he conquered. She learned how he had doted on Gamora the most. She learned that he was a strict father, only ever showing any real affection towards Gamora. She learned how Nebula had loved her sister.

They learned that Darcy had an older brother that had passed away on tour in Afghanistan and a little sister that was a doctor in California. They learned that her mother had passed away two years ago to breast cancer, and that her father had followed shortly after. They learned she got her love and affinity for cooking from her dad and grandmother. They learned she had always wanted a simple life.

She learned about how Natasha's favorite Avenger was actually a retired Avenger ( _"Wait, Clint Barton as in that cute guy with the arrow and very flexible? I - uh -_ met _him in New Mexico.")_. Darcy was both impressed and confused. Of course, she'd known who Clint Barton was, but not that Natasha would so openly claim Clint as an important person to her. Wasn't Natasha supposed to be this impenetrable force swathed in stoicism and an unwillingness to do anything that won't benefit her?

When Darcy woke up, it was to find that she was back on her bed, and that Bruce was on a chair by her bedside, watching something on his tablet.

"G'morning, Bruce," murmured Darcy as she closed her eyes again.

"Good morning, Darcy. How're you feeling?" Bruce smiled as Darcy hummed and stretched without leaving the comfort of her duvet.

"Hungry, sleepy," said Darcy as she slowly sat up. "What time is it?"

"Eight in the morning. When I got here for your 7:00AM vital check, Nat said you've only been asleep for about an hour." Bruce reached for a mug on the bedside table and brought it to his lips. "You can get some more sleep if you want."

"How'd I get back here?" She rubbed her eyes. If she were honest, she wouldn't be surprised if Natasha or Nebula had carried her up, so asking Bruce was more of to make conversation to help her wake herself up and to know who she had to thank.

"Wanda actually came by just as Nat and Nebula were going to bring you back, so she helped them out."

Wanda Maximoff, the only Avenger she hadn't properly met. She'd seen the girl in passing before the Avengers had split, when Jane was working in the compound's lab, but had never been formally introduced. From what she had been told, Wanda had left for the outskirts of Wakanda right after Darcy had been situated in her previous room. She didn't take any offense to it, understanding that the woman was grieving her lover.

Darcy closed her eyes again and swung her legs over the edge of the bed. She frowned at the discomfort of having slept wearing a bra. It was a sports bra, sure, but she wasn't a fan of the under boob sweat that came with it, and preferred no bras when sleeping. Her sleepwear while she was in Wakanda, which consisted of loose pajama bottoms and a billowy top, was one of the most comfortable things she had ever worn, but she definitely missed the oversized shirts that she had in her apartment.

"Bruce," because from the moment they had met, Bruce had only ever been _Bruce_. After Loki's attack on New York, Darcy and Jane had flown from Tromsø in both indignation and rage only to be greeted by Pepper Potts and her fairy godmother-esque ways. She had told them that they had space for Jane's work and housing should she wish it and that the offer is there for as long as Jane should need it. Bruce who was already staying in the tower, had met Jane, and with her, her then intern, Darcy.

The two geniuses barely interacted though. Jane rarely utilized the lab in Stark (Avengers, at that time) Tower, only ever being there when Thor was there, and even then, never at the cost of her research and the advancement of science. And where Jane went, so did Darcy. She made sure the astrophysicist was rested, fed, and watered, and her scope simply expanded whenever there was someone else in the vicinity.

'Someone Else' just happened to be Bruce Banner, who had looked through some of Jane's files and was both respectful and open to the ideas Darcy's boss had presented that Darcy couldn't help but like him for it. The two women were more accustomed to scientists looking down at Jane's work. No one had believed her before Thor's arrival, and for some reason, they were quick to say that Thor was both a fluke and the result of luck. They hadn't believed in Jane's abilities then, and so they had stayed in New York City for a bit so that Jane could gather data surrounding all that had happened during the Chitauri Invasion. Bruce and Tony lent their own heads into the research, though with Darcy juggling both school and work, she only ever got to spend time with Bruce.

Bruce smiled at her, and even without her glasses, Darcy could tell that it looked far more tired than she would ever wish for him.

"It's nice to see you again." After all that had transpired in Sokovia, Jane and Darcy hadn't seen nor heard from Bruce. Finally having an answer for what had happened, they were more than relieved for their friend's survival and return. They knew that there were probably aspects of his experiences that he withheld, perhaps as much for his own safety and sanity, but Darcy made sure Bruce knew that he would always be considered their friend.

"It's nice to be back," he took another sip of what Darcy was sure to be tea, and they savored the peace that they had in that moment. He put his tablet on his lap and reached over so that he could grab her eyeglasses and hand it to her. She accepted it gratefully and put it on.

It felt surreal to be in her position. Who would have thought she would be having tea with the man who turned into a green rage monster while his friends were out there either keeping watch on her door or trying to figure out what to do with her?

For all the beauty that Wakanda possessed, housing such huge personalities with an innate curiosity and penchant for trouble was not the best for _any_ area. Ramonda and T'Challa had made sure that their guests were entertained; arranging tours and activities to occupy their time when they didn't have to check on Darcy, and while grateful for the new experiences, Bruce had missed being able to sit back and enjoy someone else's company without talking about Darcy's condition, his next move, or his experiences off planet. That wasn't what Darcy meant for him, he couldn't help but think. As curious as he felt with her condition, Bruce didn't see Darcy as an experiment or case study. She was a friend. She had taken him in as one of her pseudo children and fed and watered him alongside Jane when they'd met. She had treated him as Bruce when everyone else had seen him as Doctor Banner or as Hulk's alter ego. Darcy deserved better than to be treated as if she were just some anomaly because of what happened.

They stayed that way, with Darcy having gotten her own tablet to look through some updates she had. They did their own thing in each other's presence, content with the silence that blanketed them, occasionally breaking it to show each other some interesting content they found on their own pads.

By ten o'clock, Darcy and Bruce had wandered into the communal living area — though Darcy hesitated to call it that because communal for whom, really? She knew that each person were housed somewhere. Jane, Thor, Bruce, and the Guardians were housed in the same place she was, and then the others were scattered in different places, especially since half of the Avengers had already been staying in Wakanda for a while anyway.

She made them breakfast, having insisted around the time that they let her to the communal floor that she didn't need to have all her meals served unless they needed her on some restricted diet. She liked to cook and it gave her something to do since she wasn't really supposed to go outside yet.

It was one of the ways she had begun to warm up to the people around her, she supposed. Little things around food and their interactions.

Over the course of the weeks she'd been in Wakanda, Darcy got to know people. She found out that Spider-Man was actually a teenager named Peter Parker who was often being nagged by Stark to go back to New York and try to live what life he had pre-Thanos. She found out Parker liked to argue with Stark. It was adorable.

She found out that Groot acted a lot like a teenager, prompting Quill to act like a parent and lecture him. Really, the parallels between Parker and Stark and Quill and Groot was both interesting and entertaining.

She found out that there was no age range to being a hero (or vigilante, depending on who you ask, really). Parker and Shuri (and Groot) were literally teenagers, which actually irked Parker because Stark treated Shuri so differently than he did Parker. Bruce and Stark were in their late forties, and a good bulk of them were in their early thirties. She, herself, was twenty-nine, and it shook her how long this has been a _sort of_ part of her life. Had it really been seven years since she tased a sketchy man in New Mexico?

She found out that Bruce and Shuri had become good friends. The royal liked the older man's cool demeanor, and Bruce found Shuri's personality a more accommodating presence compared to Stark's. The other half of the Science!Bros duo tried not to be offended ( _"You just like her because has different tech!" "Better, you mean." "Guys, please."_ )

She found out that Mantis, as an empath, wasn't too big on physical contact, which was actually a big reason that Natasha and Nebula didn't mind her presence. Natasha also liked Darcy, or so the latter liked to think, because the spy would often be around when Darcy had food to be given out. Then again, maybe Natasha liked her _food_.

She found out that Nebula might have a bit of a crush on Thor, if the way she often threw her eyes his way was anything to go by. That was an observation she still hadn't broken to Jane. Darcy didn't want to stir an empty pot. There was enough on people's plates.

She found out that Barnes was sweet on Shuri, and that her brother didn't fully approve or disapprove. Either way, whenever Darcy looked at them, there was a warmth within her that told her they were going to be fine.

She found out that Drax may or may not have a soft spot for Mantis. Further research needed, because maybe she just liked the thought of them together and she was shipping and therefore projecting.

She found out that Strange actually went back and forth between Wakanda and some other part of the globe. His power was definitely something she would love to have. She'd never have to be stuck in traffic!

She found out that Jane and Stark should never be left alone, in case the latter tried to tinker with her equipment without permission again. _Again_? Darcy had gotten a very passionate recount of it care of Jane Foster, complete with angry chewing and Stark not looking remorseful at all.

She found out that Peter Quill, Thor Odinson, and Tony Stark had very soft spots and high egos in the shape of the women they were in love with. Her heart ached for Quill whenever he spoke of Gamora.

She found out that Steve Rogers aka Captain America, commanded a room's attention without even trying. She rarely saw him spend time on the communal floor, but when he did, he always turned heads. Darcy acknowledged that he was definitely attractive, but he also made her uncomfortable. It was a conundrum. Because of her brother, she had always felt a bit more comfortable in the presence of a soldier — just look at her easy friendship with Thor, Sam, and even Barnes. However, whenever she was faced with Steve Rogers (which had only happened about two or three times, really), Darcy found herself a little unsure, so she usually just went to her default flirt for faux confidence.

She found out that the Avengers were still very much split. Captain America and Stark still hadn't spoken words outside of what they were supposed to do about her, and that it was something that really affected the dynamic of the group. Often, she'd notice Sam taking a step back from his conversation with Bruce when he saw that Barnes was in the room. Or Peter would constantly look at Barnes or Captain America, seemingly wanting to strike up conversation, but unsure of how to proceed.

She found out that James Rhodes had returned back to New York a few days after she had woken up. They barely shared more than a handful of sentences while in Wakanda, in spite of knowing each other pretty well.

She found out that she missed her apartment. The state-of-the-art everything was great, but there was something to be said about the familiarity of home. She missed the ugly blue couch she and Jane had found three years ago. She missed the smell of pollution and the noise of traffic. She missed her anonymity in the concrete jungle.

Here, she was Darcy Lewis: Banisher of Thanos, Wielder of the Infinity Gauntlet, Home of the Stones, Anomaly of the Century. She missed being Darcy: Jane's Intern and Good Cook.

As she laid out omelets for her and Bruce, Darcy found their attention steered to the other occupants of the room. Parker and Stark were arguing, and no one knew if they ought to step in. Groot, Rocket, and Thor, who were her scheduled guards, stood by the side.

Darcy could see that Thor was tense and wanted to interfere, and so did Groot. Rocket was content to watch the chaos.

"YOU'RE NOT MY DAD!"

Darcy's eyes widened, and she could just visualize how Tony steeled himself and built his walls back up.

"Yes, because the only family you have left is a lovely woman in a two bedroom apartment who has no idea why her superhero of a nephew hasn't gone back even though the threat has been effectively neutralized. I know I'm not your father, kid, but if this is what I get for caring, then I'd rather not." The man turned to leave, but Darcy was suddenly right in front of him.

Her eyes were a bright yellow and she was glowing blue when she reached out a hand to cup his face.

 _"Darcy, what the fuck?"_

 _"Shit," Darcy stepped away from Stark. They were in a desert-like place._

 _"Where are we, Lewis?" For someone who was just transported to fuck knows where, Tony Stark looked like it was just a mild inconvenience to him._

 _"I don't know!"_

 _"Then how'd you bring us here?"_

 _"Jesus fuck, Stark," Darcy growled. "I already told you, I don't know!"_

 _"Is this the first time this has happened?"_

 _"Well the glowy thing, obviously not, but the whole teleporting thing, definitely!"_

 _The desert wasn't made of the fine golden sand. Instead, it was a coarser and a darker reddish shade. The atmosphere felt humid, but Darcy didn't feel or see it affect her or her companion. She moved back to stand closer to Stark, wanting the comfort his presence offered. Neither of them may have known what exactly was going on, but at least they weren't alone._

 _They looked at each other, and Tony had to remind himself that the woman before him, in spite of all her bravado, sass, and flirting, was not only nearly twenty years younger than him, but also a_ civilian _. Aside from her encounter with Thor and the help she's been lending to Foster's research, Darcy wasn't trained for any of these types of situations. They had all seen SHIELD's file on her. Aside from New Mexico and London, she had been living a mundane life._

 _"We should get moving, look for shelter if we're going to be spending any extended amount of time here." He said, taking a look around them._

 _She nodded and they chose a direction and began to walk._

 _"So this is really the first time that this happened?"_

 _"Yeah, I think I'd remember if I left earth, Stark."_

 _"Tony."_

 _"What?"_

 _"You keep calling me Stark. I call you Darcy. You should call me Tony."_

 _"But aren't you technically my boss?"_

 _"No, I'm your boss' very rich fiancé."_

 _"I still cannot believe she let me work remotely."_

 _"It's PR." Tony shrugged. "And you're part of a team, so really, there are people that would cover your work if you agreed to take my suggestion and cash in on vacation leaves."_

 _"You have no idea what I do, do you?"_

 _"PR, right? Don't you post pictures and update the website?"_

 _"I'm a lawyer." Darcy laughed at his shocked look, though she knew better than to believe him. "I'm also the liaise for various government agencies and large companies. If Pepper thinks that a company is important and there are lots of NDAs involved, she usually tosses it to me, since my work with Jane makes most of my work one big NDA anyways. You've probably seen my file; I mean SHIELD had a pretty extensive one from when I worked with Jane as her intern, I'm sure SI has a more updated one especially since SHIELD crashed."_

 _"Fair point. I did, but I figured you might want to gloat."_

 _"What exactly do I have to gloat about to the person that owns the buildings I actually work in?"_

 _"Yeah, how exactly is it that you work in two of the buildings I own in New York, both of which I spend time in regularly, and yet I meet you in Wakanda?"_

 _Darcy grinned, "I barely go to the labs in Stark Tower. I only pop by when Jane's there, and she is only ever there to see if there were any changes with how the stars look or something once a year. If I go there to do PR or legal work, I'm at the offices, which you are never in because you're busy being you."_

 _"And at the facility? Foster says she's been there for the better part of a year now."_

 _"And by that, she means she's been there the most out of the other locations that have been offered to her. We had a brief stint in different countries in Asia after the Dark Elves in London, and when she decided she wanted to take a year off and just attend conferences and be more accessible to Selvig, we settled for New York."_

 _"You don't live in the Facility?"_

 _"We didn't want to be separated. Jane knew Thor had made arrangements for accommodations, but we didn't know if that included me." Darcy grinned, reminiscing. "I would've been fine, really. By then I was already earning steady income care of Stark Industries, and could have gotten my own place, but Jane…Thor's inconsistent presence wasn't the best for her."_

 _Tony noted the softness in Darcy's tone. He remembered Thor telling them that Darcy may have been his Lightning Sister, but she was Jane's Sister of the Heart._

 _"Wait, Tony, do you see that?" She pointed at a figure in the distance. "HEY!"_

 _He placed a hand on her mouth, "Christ,_ princess _, be careful. We can't be too sure that thing's a friendly. WHAT THE FUCK did you just lick me?" He pulled his hand away, disgusted._

 _She grinned at him, and Tony could only roll his eyes. You leave one child and join another._

 _They looked back at the horizon, but found it empty once again._

Darcy lost her glow, and was left awkwardly holding a side of Tony's face. He blinked rapidly, as if to clear his vision, and gave her a cocky smile.

"Thanks for bringing us back, Darce'."

She frowned, "What are you talking about, Stark?"

* * *

 **A/N:** If you want to see the finished version of this fic, it's up on AO3 under the same name. :) I'll be uploading everything here too, updating every couple of days.


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